The running season isn't over yet. The Fort Collins Thanksgiving Day Run is Nov. 22. About 3,000 runners and walkers take in this popular event. / Fort Collins Coloradoan

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Coloradoan staff and news services

Change up your winter workouts by using different cardio machines. / Coloradoan library

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Daylight saving time ushers in the winter workout season.

Here are ways to get the most out of your workouts and ways to stay motiveated:

Bundle up for one last race

While the temperature may have plummeted to half of what it was in the summer, fall and winter is not the time to hibernate or put away your running shoes. November is the month of gratitude, after all, so lace up and be thankful that you can still run outside and participate in one last race or fun run this November and even December. Whether you finish a 5K in 18 minutes or you aspire to run it without walking, grab your cold-weather gear and squeeze in one last race.

• Try a mud run: It’s not a dirty little secret; mud runs bring back the kid in you. Mud runs are like playgrounds for adults with obstacles, physical challenges and lots of mess. You can get dirty with your friends, do a tough workout and feel like a warrior when you finish. The courses can involve climbing over old cars, jumping over fire, balancing across a log, crawling under wire, slogging through waist-high mud puddles or scaling over walls. And in between you are most likely jogging through uneven terrain and conquering some hills. Tap into your sense of adventure and embrace the camaraderie of these challenging and fun courses. As intense as they sound, they aren’t about winning; they are about accomplishing.

• Do a turkey trot: Many communities have turkey trots or Thanksgiving-themed runs, including Fort Collins on Thanksgiving Day. See the race calendar on page D3 for details. Challenge yourself to a 5K and burn some calories before you feast on mashed potatoes, gravy and pumpkin pie. Or find a Thanksgiving-themed fun run or walk you can do with your kids and relatives.

• Run for a cause: If you missed the turkey trot, consider a Reindeer Run or any charitable holiday run. Yes, Fort Collins offers one of those as well. The Jingle Bell Run on Dec. 1 benefits the arthritis foundation.

Many 5Ks and 10Ks support wonderful philanthropic causes. Find a race in your area and not only will you be advocating for your own health, you also will be advocating for a good cause. It is the season of giving, after all.

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Wintertime workout plan

It’s easy to see why people enjoy working out alfresco, whether you are challenging your friends to a pick-up game of volleyball, testing the strength of a carabiner on the side of a cliff or jogging with your dog. But there will undoubtedly be at least a few days this winter season when Jack Frost’s arctic temperature or dangerous, icy terrain will force even the most stalwart outdoor exercise enthusiast inside.

That’s no reason to hibernate. Beat the winter blues (and blahs) with these brrrrrilliant tips from Life Fitness:

• Bring the outside in: Many of your outdoor workouts can be tweaked to function inside. Try transitioning from outdoor boot camp to circuit training on the Cable Motion Dual Adjustable Pulley machine. Take advantage of Lifescape interactive courses, which will transport you to exotic locales across the globe and are available on Life Fitness Elevation Series treadmills, elliptical cross-trainers and bikes.

• Make a hot new playlist: Few things can shake up an otherwise dull workout like some new music. Harness the transformative powers of music by stocking your list with tracks that evoke warm weather and summertime celebrations. Need some inspiration? Start with Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer,” Buster Poindexter’s “Hot! Hot! Hot!” and the ubiquitous summer 2012 anthem “Call Me Maybe”.

• Try a new class: Winter is the perfect opportunity to try out a new class and a new way to work out your body. Group fitness or small group personal training also helps motivate you to show up for the camaraderie, the fun and the benefits that accompany working out with a pro. Plus, you may meet some workout buddies to help you greet the spring thaw.

• Get in the zone: If you are used to high-intensity, strenuous outdoor workouts, you may think it’s impossible to achieve similar results inside. Try pre-programmed cardio machine workouts that simulate hills and/or intervals and customize the settings to push you both aerobically and anaerobically. Don’t forget to use a heart rate monitor; keeping track of your zones will ensure you are working hard enough but not overdoing it.

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• Try a new or different machine: Have you steered clear of the Summit Trainer or avoided the cardio rowing machine in favor of a familiar treadmill? Conquer the foreign territory of a new piece of equipment by committing to a 10-minute session. Using your muscles in a different way will reinvigorate your mind, too.

Here’s a triple workout to try: Start with 3 minutes of walking to warm up, followed by 7 minutes of walking at a fast pace on the treadmill. Then switch to the elliptical cross-trainer for the next 10 minutes. Finally, hop onto an upright bike and pedal briskly for 7 minutes and decrease your speed for 3 minutes to cool down. Repeat if you like.

• Throw a wrench in it: Once you have acquainted yourself with each different cardio machine, change up your program to combat boredom and stave off humdrum-ness. Increase the incline or add hand weights to your walking workout on the treadmill. Choose an elliptical with handlebars to get your upper body moving at the same time. Try increasing the resistance on your stationary bike and make it a hill workout instead of a flat ride.

• Minimize time to maximize results: Keeping your workout on each machine shorter in duration means you can pay more attention to your body and its movements instead of zoning out. Make the most of your limited time on each machine by pushing your intensity to achieve results.

• Success, multiplied: Exercising on different pieces of equipment engages many more muscles than a workout on one machine would, including two of the most important muscles we have: our brains and our hearts. Cardiovascular exercise improves heart health, and planning each new triple program will engage your mind as well.